Students will participate in a postbox activity to identify and classify groups students belong to. They will record these groups on an 'onion diagram'.

Learning intentions

We are learning how to:

• identify and describe groups we belong to
• classify groups that members of our class belong to into categories
• examine groups in our community starting at the local area and moving out to the global.

How will we know we have done these things?

We will be able to:

• identify and describe groups we belong to
• put the groups that people in our class belong to into sets with a heading that we have come up with
• describe some groups in our community
• classify the groups that people belong to in our class on to an 'onion diagram'.

Key social studies concepts

• identity
• belonging
• groups
• communities

Gathering and processing information

• describe
• classify
• analyse
• explain

What you need

• paper - small sheets, can be recycled
• postbox - box with a 'slot' cut in the top

Background notes

'Where do I belong?'  is a question often asked by students. At the heart of this question is the concept of identity. Your identity is what makes you who you are - it is the way you think and act. A person shows their identity every day in how they act and how they relate to others. In this resource we will look at identities in the context of groups and communities.

The first group an individual belongs to is the family. As a child grows s/he begins to mix with groups in the neighbourhood, with friends, at school and at work. Some examples of these groups could be:

It is important to emphasise that groups and identity are fluid not fixed. The groups a student belongs to will change over time. Individual values and the process of self-identification can play a role in groups people choose to join. For example, a person can choose whether and how to identify or not identify with a group that they are born into. An example of this in the New Zealand context is the choice to go on the Māori Electoral Roll.  A person of Māori ethnicity can choose to identify as Māori when enrolling, and also choose at that time and later whether to be on the General Electoral Roll or the Māori Electoral Roll as a result of changing values and attitudes.

A spider diagram is similar to a mind map or a concept diagram. It starts with a big concept or idea in the centre (the BODY - e.g. Groups in our class) The LEGS spread out form here and link to like minded ideas.

1 - Postbox: where do I belong?

All levels

a) Give each student 3 or 4 pieces of paper and ask them to write down groups that they belong to.

b) Post the pieces of paper into the postbox.

c) Take all the pieces out and as a class classify them into groups. At this stage, allow the students to form the groups as much as possible. Give each set of groups a heading such as Sports Teams; Cultural Groups.

d) Conduct a 'Hand Survey' by asking students to raise their hands according to the type of group(s) they belong to i.e. Hands up if you belong to a music group'. Collate these results to put into a bar graph (Maths).

e) Record the class groups on a wall chart under the headings chosen by the students. This could be done as a spider diagram (see teacher notes) with connections between types of groups.

What to look for

Some groups can't easily be put into categories. The focus of this activity is not to force categories on groups, but to explore and celebrate the diversity of groups class members belong to.

2 - Groups in our community 

All levels

a) Explore what the students currently know about groups in their community. Build on their knowledge by asking questions such as:

• 'what group builds the roads to our school?'
• 'who picks up the rubbish at your gate?'
• 'which group tries to keep the parks and playgrounds beautiful in our community?'
• 'who makes laws for New Zealand?'
• 'what groups do we see on the News?'

b) Record the names of groups they identify on card. E.g.: City Council

c) Copy or print the 'onion diagram' (also provided as a download, below) and place the groups from your class on to it. This could be done in chalk on the playground outside together OR pasted on to card, cut out and made into a mobile.

d) levels 3-4 Students could use Inspiration? or a graphic organiser to do an individual 'Onion diagram' by using information gathered from the class.

It's your move!

Spend some time as a class considering the following questions as appropriate to its level:

• How do we know people identify with a group?  Consider uniform, symbols, no symbols, traditions etc.
• How do I show I belong to a group? How do I know others belong to a group?
• What do I assume about what individuals think, feel, or do based on groups they belong to? How?
• What do I know about what individuals think, feel, or do based on the groups they belong to? How?